Pea-threshing machine.



v No. 724,793. PATENTED APR. '7. 1903.

J. M. BRASINGTON. PEA THRESHING MACHINE.

* APPLICATION FILED 001a, 1901.

no MODEL. 2 SHEE -SHEET 1.

No. 724,793. 1 PATENTED APR, '7, 1903.. J. M. BRASINGTQN.

PEA THRESHING' MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 3, 1901.

2 sums-sum 2.

no monnn QiQli-h l 0000 0 "momma, wnsmuarou o c UNITED STATES- PATENTOFFICE.

JOHN MARION BRASINGTON, OF-BENNETTSVILL'E, SOUTH CAROLINA.

s PEA-THRESHING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 724,793, dated April'7, 1903.

' Application filed OcthberB, 1901. Serial No. 77,470. (no 11106.81.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN MARroN BRASING- TON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Bennettsville, in the county of Marlboro and Stateof South Carolina, hav'e invented a new and useful Pea-ThreshingMachine, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to machines for threshing peas and thelike, and is especially designed as animprovement upon the thresherillustrated anddescribed in Letters Patent No. 569,978, issued to meJanuary 11, 1898.

The object of the invention is to improve the mechanism for efiectingthe separation of the peas from the hulls orpods, vines, and dirt and toprovide a novel arrangement of instrumentalities for thoroughly cleaningthe separated peas and for grading them prior to their delivery toseparate receptacles provided for the reception of peas of differentgrades.

A further object of the invention is to so construct the threshingmechanism proper that the choking of'the concave or of thethreshing-cylinders by the heavy fiber of the pea-vines will beimpossible; and further and subordinate objects of the in ventionwillher.e-'

inafter be made apparent as the necessity for their accomplishment isdeveloped in the suc-' ceeding description of that preferred form of myinvention which I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings. I

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of one side of mypeathreshing machine complete. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the oppositeside thereof.

cent to the front end of the thresher is 1o- Fig. 3 is a central lon-.gitudinal section through the machine, and

cated a double concave 4, the bottom wall of which is made forarninous,as indicated at 5, and is extended to form an upwardly and rearwardlyinclined horizontal screen 6, extending from the concave to the rearextremity of the thresher and having its ends oppositely curved, asshown. The threshing mechanism comprehended by my present improvementcomprises a plurality of threshing-cylinders,

preferably three in number, (designated by the numerals 7, 8, and 9,)and provided with radially-disposed spikes or teeth 10. Thesethreshing-cylinders are carried by shafts 11, 12, and 13, journaled insuitable bearings at opposite sides of the frame, and are so disposedthat the cylinders 7 and 9 are located out of mesh with each other, butconcentric with the two cavities of the concave and in mesh,respectively, with the cylinder 8-that is to say, the cylinder 8, whichis theiprimary or most active threshing-cylinder, is disposed with itsteeth in interfitting relation with the teeth of the cylinders 7 and 9and maintains a position directly in-rear of the cylinder 7, but in aslightly-lower horizontal plane. Thus as the pea-vines are fed into thethresher from the feed-board 3 they will be caught by the teeth of thecylinder 7 and carried back to the cylinder 8, which rotates at a higherrate of speed thaneither of the cylinders 7 and 9, which rotatepractically in unison.

As the vines-are fed between the cylinders 7 and 8 alarge percentage ofthe peas will be separated and permitted to gravitate to the bottom ofthe concave 4, together with a large percentage of the smaller particlesof hulls and dirt. The vines, however, will retain a small percentage ofpeas and will be carried between the cylinders 8 and 9, where they willbe rethreshed and thrown upon the front upwardly-curved end of thescreen 6.

For the purpose of conveying the vines rearwardly over the screen orsieve in order to effect the separation of the remaining peas from thevines I prefer to employ an endless conveyor 14, passed around suitablerollers 15, 16, and 17 and provided'with teeth 18, which engage thevines and drag them over the screen 6, from the rear end of which theICO threshed and separated vines are discharger vines are threshed andconveyed through the machine and how the peas and small par ticles ofdebris are permitted to gravitate through the foraniinous concave 4 andthrough the screen 6; but it is evident that means must now be providedfor cleaning the separated peas from these small particles and forgrading the peas preparatory to their delivery to separate receptacles.Below the screen 6 is located an incline 19, above which a blast isdirected rearwardly from a blower 20, within the casing of which arotary fan 21 is operated. The peas and debris dropping through thescreen 6 are subjected to the action of the blast, which separates andcarries off the dirt and other light particles, and the peas gravitatedown the incline 19, from the front end of which they are depositedwithin the upper forward end of the rearwardly-inclined grading 0rriddle shoe 22, supported by upstanding links 23 and vibratedlongitudinallyth rough the medium of an eccentric-shaft 24, carrying aneccentric 25, connected to the strap of an eccentric-rod 26, pivotallyconnected, as indicated at 27, to 3. lug 28, depending from the rearlower end of the shoe.

Beneath the shoe 22 and preferably carried thereby are two or morepea-chutes 29 and 30, into which peas of difierent grades are depositiedfrom within the shoe through suitable openings 31 and 32 of dilfereutsizes. The openings 31 in the bottom wall of the shoe are smaller thanthe openings over the succeeding chute or chutes, so that as the peasdeposited from the incline 19 gravitate toward the lower end of thegrading-shoe from the upper-end thereof the smallest peas will bedeposited into the first chute, and the successivelylarger peas will inlike manner be deposited in the succeeding chute or chutes.

For the purpose of depositing the peas gravitating from the concave uponthe incline 19 for delivery to the shoe I provide immediately under theforaminous portion of the concave 4 a rearward ly-inclinedshaking-screen 33, the mesh of which is too small to permit the escapeof the peas, but is sufficiently large to permit the greater portion ofthe dirt and debris to drop upon the inclined top of the blower-casing,from which it passes down an incline 34 and is delivered from thethresher at the front end thereof. The peas from which the greaterportion of the debris is thus separated gravitate rearwardly upon theshaking-screen 33 and at a point in rear of the screen are dischargedupon the incline 19, the blast from the blower serving by reason of thisarrangement to separate the lighter particles from the body of peasdelivered from the shaking-screen 33, as well as from the peas whichgravitate through the screen 6 to the incline, in the manner stated. Anysuitable means for vibrating the shaking-screen 33 may be provided; butI prefer to support said screen rigidly upon upstanding angular arms 35,secured to the front end of the grading-shoe, so that the vibratorymotion communicated to said shoe will be transmitted to theshaking-screen.

The feed of the vines to the threshing mechanism is regulated by ahorizontal feed-roller 36, journaled in vertically-adjustable bearings37 in the opposite side walls of the concave-cover 38, hinged to the topwall of the frame in rear of the cylinder 8, as indicated at 39, andprovided in front of the feed-roller 36 with a transverse guard 40. Thefeedroller 36 is designed to force the pea-vines into engagement withthe teeth of the first cylinder 7, and as it is desirable to crush andcut the vines more or less prior to the threshing thereof I provide thetop wall of the cover 38 with a transverse opening 41, in which isseated a swinging vine crusher and cutter 42, consisting of atransversely-disposed strip of crimped metal pivoted at its upper end,as indicated at 43. To prevent the vines from passing around thefeed-roller 36, a swinging guard-plate 44 is horizontally disposedbetween the roller and the vine-crusher 42 and is provided with studs45, engaging arcuate guide-slots 46 in the side wall of the cover 38.This guard-plate is retained in its adjusted position by binding-nuts46, screwed upon the outer ends of the studs 45 and bearing against theside walls of the cover 38.

In rear of the cylinder 8 is located, as indicated in Fig. 3, a stripperand guard-plate 46*, designed to insure the delivery of the pea-vines tothe screen 6 from between the cylinders 8 and 9, it being obvious thatany tendency of the vines to be carried up and around the cylinder 8will be prevented by the engagement of the vines with the lower end ofthe stripper, which will insure their detachment from the teeth of thecylinder and their passage to a point where they will be caught andcarried forward by the con- Veyer 14.

Many expedients for properly gearing the operating parts of the thresherto a suitable source of power may be devised; but I prefer to gear thevarious shafts of the machine together in the manner illustrated inFigs. 1 and 2 ofthe drawings. The main powerbelt 47, extending from thedrive-pulley of an engine, is passed around a suitable belt pulley orwheel 48, keyed upon the shaft 12 of the cylinder 8 at one side of thethresher, and said shaft is in turn geared by a belt 49 to the shaft 21of the fan 21. (See Fig. 1.)

At the opposite side of the thresher the shaft 4 sired that the cylinder8 rotate at a much higherrate of speed than either of the cylinders 7and 9. These last-named cylinders are designed to rotate at about thesame. speed and are therefore geared together at the left-hand side ofthe thresher by means of the sprocket-chain 56, passing aroundsprocket-wheels 57 and 58, keyed to the adjacent ends of the shafts 11and 13. The gearing of the parts is then completed by providing theshaft 12, adjacent to the sprocket-wheel 52, with sprocket-wheels 59 and60, geared by sprocket-chains 61 and 62, with suitable sprocket-wheels63 and 64, mounted upon the left-hand ends of the conveyer-shaft 64 andthe eccentric-shaft 24.

Briefly the operation of the machine is as follows: Pea-vines are fedfrom the feedboard 3, under the guard 40, and between the feed-roller 38and the threshing-cylinder 7. The cover 36, hinged at its rear end, isof metal, and its weight is therefore considerable. Vines passingthrough the machine will consequently be forced against the firstthreshing-cylinder 7 and will lift the roller 36, and with it the cover38. The vines will therefore be subjected to the combined weight of theroller and cover and will be mashed down immediately prior to thepresentation of said vines to the swinging crusher and cutter 42,located at that point atwhich the mass of vinesis deflected, or brokendownwardly to pass between the threshing-cylinders 7 and 8. Theswingingcrusher and cutter 42, being a heavy strip of crimped metal,hinged at its upper edge in the cover,will bear upon the vines adjacentto the point at which the two upper cylinders cooperate, will sever thevines into short lengths and will yield both on its pivot 43 and bodilyaccording to the fluctuating quantity of vines being fed through themachine. That. is to say, the plate 42 will vibrate from its hingeinorder to have what is, in effect, a choppingaction upon the vines, andwill also yield bodily when the mass of vines passing through themachine is sufficient to raise the heavy cover 38, in which the crimpedplate 42 is mounted. Thus as a considerable quantity of vines is fed tothe threshing mechanism from the feed-board 3 the cover will be raisedand will vibrate in accordance with the varying bulk of the material,and in addition to this vibratory movement of the cover the cutting andcrushing plate 42 will have an individual vibratory movement, tending tomash or crush the vines into still closer contact with the cylinder 7and to cut the heavy tendrils of the vines into short lengths just priorto the passage of the vines between the threshing-cylinders. I

An important feature of the invention'will now be noted. It is evidentthat as the vines are passed into the machine horizontally over thecylinder 7 the viney mass must break downwardly iii order to passbetweenthe cylinders '7 and 8 and must again break for-- wardly in orderto be passed back over the screen 6, extending horizontally from thethreshing mechanism. -In other words, the mass of vines while beingacted upon by the threshing mechanism is given a compound break as itpasses over the first cylinder from the feed-board and under theadjacent cylinder to the screen. By reason of the fact that the upperand lower cylinders 7 and 9 are rotated in the same direction and at thesame speed and cooperate with the third cylinder, rotating in anopposite direction and at a higher speed, all of the teeth engaging thevines will move in the direction of movement of said vines through themachine and at the same time a threshing action will be secured, becausethe-teeth of the third cylinder 8 will move faster than the adjacentteeth of the other cylinders. It will therefore be seen that the mass ofvines is given a compound break, is fed forward by threshing-cylindersall moving with the vines, and is thoroughly threshed by reason of therotation of the several cylinders at different speeds.

As the vines are threshed between the cylinders 7 and 8 a largeproportion of the peas (possibly seventy-five per cent.) and aconsiderable quantity of small particles of dirt and other debris willdrop to the bottom of the concave 4, from whence they will escape to theshaking-screen 33. This screen will separate the dirt from the peas andwill deliver the latter to the incline 19, within the range of a blastfrom the blower. The dirt separated from the peas by the shaking-screenwill drop down the incline 34 and pass from the machine. As the vinespass between the cylinders 8 and 9 they will be rethreshed and willthence pass to the screen 6 and will be fed thereover toward the rearend of the machine. The peas and light particles of debris stillretained by the vines will during the progress of the mass over thescreen drop through the latter into the blast from the blower, so thatsaid blast after having passed through the peas dropping from theshakingscreen 38 will remove the debris from the peas dropping from thescreen 6. The peas dropping from the screen will be deposited upon theincline 19 and, gravitating down the latter in the face of the blast,will be deposited in the upper front end of the grading or riddle shoe22 with the peas received from the shaking-screen. The vibratoryinclined shoe will now grade the peas in a manner well understood in theart, and the graded peas will be delivered at the side of the machinefrom the chutes 29 and 30.

It is thought that from the foregoing the constructionfand operation ofmy pea thresher and separator will be clearly comprehended; but whilethe present embodiment of the invention is believed at this time to bepreferable I do not wish to limit myself to the structural detailsdefined, but reserve the right to effect such changes, modifications,and variations thereof as may be properly comprehended within the scopeof the protection prayed.

What I claim is 1. In a threshing-machine of the character described,the combination with a pair of intermeshing threshing cylinders locatedin substantially the same horizontal plane, of means for rotating saidcylinders in opposite directions and at different speeds, means fordelivering vines and the like to the upper side of one cylinder, meansfor conveying the vines away from the under side of the other cylinder,and a bodily-yielding feed-roller disposed above and in cooperativerelation with the first cylinder.

2. In a threshing-machine of the character described,- the combinationwith a casing having a vertically-movable cover, of threshing mechanismincluding a threshing-cylinder located in the casing, and a feed rollermounted in the cover above the cylinder and movable toward and from saidcylinder with the cover.

3. In a threshing-machine of the character described, the combinationwith a casing having a vertically-movable cover, of a pair ofintermeshing threshing-cylinders mounted in the casing and disposed insubstantially the same horizontal plane, means for rotating saidcylinders in opposite directions and at difierent speeds, and meanscarried by and movable with the cover for pressing the vines fed to themachine against the first cylinder.

4:. In athreshing-machine of the character described, the combinationwith a casing having a verticallymovable cover, of a pair ofintermeshing threshing-cylinders mounted in the casing and located insubstantially the same horizontal plane, means for delivering vines andthe like to the upper side of the front cylinder and for conveying saidvines from the under side of the rear cylinder, after said vines havebeen threshed between the cylinders, and a feed-roller mounted in thecover above the front cylinder and movable toward and from said cylinderwith the cover.

5. In a threshing-machine of the character described, the combinationwith a casing having a vertically-movable cover, of threshing mechanismincluding a threshing cylinder mounted within the casing, and a swingingcutter mounted in the cover and arranged to act upon the vines passingaround the cylinder.

6. In a threshing-machine of the character described, the combinationwit-h a casing having a vertically-movable cover, of a pair ofintermeshing threshing-cylinders mounted in the casing and located insubstantially the same horizontal plane, and a swinging cutter mountedin the cover and disposed to cooperate with the front threshing-cylinderadjacent to the point at which the cylinders intermesh.

7. In a threshing-machine of the character described, the combinationwith a casing having a vertically-movable cover, of a threshingcylinderin the casing, a feed-roller mounted in the cover above the cylinder andmovable toward and from the cylinder with the cover, and a swingingcutter also mounted in the cover and cooperating with thethreshing-cylinder at a point beyond the feed-roller.

8. In a threshing-machine of the character described, the combinationwith a casing having a vertically-movable cover, of a pair ofintermeshing threshing-cylinders mounted in the casing and located insubstantially the same horizontal plane, means for rotating thecylinders in opposite directions and at different speeds, a feed-rollermounted in the cover above the front cylinder and movable toward andfrom the cylinder with the cover, and a swinging cutter mounted in thecover beyond the feed-roller and cooperating with the front cylinderadjacent to the point at which the cylinders intermesh.

9. In a threshing-machine of the character described, the combinationwith a casing hav ing a vertically-movable cover, of a pair ofintermeshing threshing-cylinders mounted in the casing and located insubstantially the same horizontal plane, means for rotatingsaidcylinders in opposite directions and at diiferent speeds, a feed-boardfor delivering vines or the like to the upper side of the frontcylinder, means for conveying the vines away from the under side of therear cylinder after said vines have been threshed between the cylinders,a feed-roller mounted in the cover above the front cylinder and movabletoward and from the cylinder with the cover, and a swinging platemounted in the cover and extending transversely across the same, saidswinging plate being cooperatively related to the front cylinderadjacent to the point at which the cylinders intermesh.

10. In a threshingmachine of the character described, the combinationwith upper and lower threshing-cylinders rotatingat the same speed andin the same direction, of a third cylinder rotating at a higher speedand in an opposite direction and meshing with the teeth of thefirst-named cylinders, whereby all of the teeth engaging the mass willmove in the direction of movement thereof, the relative arrangementofthe cylinders serving to break the mass in diiferent directions toassist in opening it up for treatment, and the relatively higher rate ofspeed of the third cylinder serving to thresh the vines and therebyliberate the peas or the like.

11. In a threshing-machine of the character described, the combinationwith a double concave having its concavities located in differenthorizontal planes, of upper and lower threshing-cylinders located insaid concavities and having radial teeth located out of mesh, means forrotating the upper and lower cylinders in the same direction and at thesame speed, a third threshing-cylinder disposed in rear of the uppercylinder and above the lower cylinder and having its teeth meshing withthe teeth of both of said cylinders,

ICC

means for rotating the third cylinder at a higher speed than the othercylinders and in an opposite direction, a screen disposed to receive thevines from the cylinders, and a conveyer for moving the vines over thescreen.

12. In a threshing-machine of the character described, the combinationwith a double concave having its concavities located in differenthorizontal planes, upper and lower threshing-cylinders located in theconcavities of the double concave and rotating at the same speed and inthe same direction but out of mesh, a third threshing-cylinder locatedin rear of the upper cylinder and above the lower.

cylinder and meshing with both of said cylinders, means for rotating thethird cylinder at a higher speed than the other cylinders and in anopposite direction, and means for crushing the vines into close contactwith the upper cylinder. a

13. In a threshing-machine of the character described, the combinationwitha casinghaving a vertically-movable cover, of an upperthreshing-cylinder, a lower threshing-cylinder located below the sameand out of mesh therewith, a third threshing-cylinder located above thelower cylinder and in rear of the upper cylinder and meshing with bothof said cylinders, means for rotating said cylinders to feed the vinesover the upper cylinder and to impart a compound break to the mass ofvines as it passes between the several cylinders, and means for pressingthe vines into contact with the first cylinder, said means being mountedin the cover and movable therewith toward and from the cylinder.

14. In a threshing-machine of the character described, the combinationwithacasin g having a vertically-movable cover, of upper and lowerthreshing-cylinders rotating at the same speed and in the samedirection, a third cylinder rotating at a higher speed andin an oppositedirection and meshing with the teeth of the first-named cylinders,whereby all of the teeth engaging the mass will move in the direction ofmovement thereof, the relative movement of the cylinders serving tobreak the mass in diflerent directions to assist in openingit up fortreatment, and the relatively higher rate of speed of the third cylinderserving to thresh the vines and thereby liberate the peas or the like,and a swinging plate mounted in the cover and acting on the vines tocompel the latter to pass down between the upper and third cylinders. I

15. In a threshing-machine of the character described, the combinationwith a casing having a movable cover, of upper and lowerthreshing-cylinders rotating at the same speed and in the samedirection, a third cylinder rotating ata higher speed and in an oppositedirection and meshing with the teeth of the first-namedcylinders,whereby all of the teeth engaging the mass will move in thedirction of movement thereof, the relative arrangement of the cylindersserving to break the mass in difi erent directions to assist in openingit up for treatment, and the relatively higher rate of speed of thethird cylinder serving to thresh the vines and liberate the peas or thelike, a feed-roller mounted in the cover above the first-named cylinderand movable toward and away from the same with the cover, and a-swingingplate mounted in the cover beyond the feed-roller and cooperating withthe first-named cylinder adjacent to the point at which the firstandthir cylinders intermesh.

16. In a threshing-machine, the tion with a concave, and a toothedthreshingcylinder therein, of a swinging vine-cutter disposed oppositesaid cylinder to cut the vines engaged thereby, said vine-cutter havingprojecting portions disposed opposite the spaces between the teeth ofthe cylinder;

17. In a threshing-machine, the combination with a concave, and atoothed threshingcylinder therein, of a vine-cutter extending alongsaidcylinder and comprising a strip of crimped metal.

18. In a threshing-machine, the combination with a concave, and atoothed threshingcylinder therein, of a vine-cutter disposed 0ppositesaid cylinder and comprising a crimped strip of metal swung from itsupper edge.

19. In a threshing-machine, the combination with a pair of cooperatingthreshing-cylinders arranged one in advance ofthe other, of anadjustable feed-roller arranged above the first cylinder, and avine-cutter located beyond the feed-roller and cooperating with thefirst cylinder adjacent to the point at which the two cylindersintermesh.

20. In a threshing-machine, the combina tion with a concave, and atoothed threshingcylinder therein, of a vertically-adjustablefeed-roller located above the cylinder to regucombinalate the feedof thevines and to press the anism within the concave, a conveyer movableoverthe fixed screen, an incline located directly below the fixed screento receive the peas falling therefrom, a shaking-screen disposed underthe concave and out of the range of the peas falling from the fixedscreen, said shaking-screen discharging at 'its rear end upon the frontend of the incline, and arearwardlydischarging blower having itsdischarge-orifice located betweenvthe adjacent ends of the incline andshaking-screen,whereby said blower projects a blast through the peasfalling from the shaking-screen and also through the peas dropping fromthe fixed screen to the incline.

22. In a threshing-machine of the character described, the combinationwith a concave, a rearwardly-extendingscreen,threshing mechanism withinthe concave, and a conveyer located above the screen, of an inclinelocated below the screen and discharging at its front end, an inclinedshaking-screen located under the foraminous concave to receive peasdropping therefrom and disposed to discharge at its rear end upon theincline, and a blower located below the shaking-screen and arranged toproject a blast of air rearwardly above the incline, said shaking-screenbeing of such lnesh as to permit dirt and small particles to droptherethrough without permitting the passage of the peas.

23. In a threshingmachine of the character described, the combinationwith a foraminous concave, and a fixed screen extending rearwardlytherefrom, of threshing mechanism within the concave, a conveyerdisposedabove the fixed screen, an incline located under the fixed screen anddischarging at its front end, a longitudinally-inclined vibratorygrading-shoe having its upper end disposed under the discharge end of theincline, a shakingscreen supported by the grading-shoe and located underthe foraminous concave, said shaking-screen being longitudinallyinclined and disposed to discharge the peas upon the incline, and ablower located under the shaking-screen and disposed to project a blastof air rearwardly over the incline.

24. In a threshing-machine, the combination with a concave, and a fixedscreen extending rearwardly therefrom, and upwardly inclined toward itsrear end, of threshing mechanism within the concave, a conveyor locatedabove the fixed screen, a vibratory grading-shoe downwardly inclinedtoward its rear end, an incline located under the fixed screen andhavingits lower front end disposed to discharge into the upper front endof tho grading-shoe, a longitudinally-inclined shaking-screen locatedunder the foraminous concave and having its lower end disposed todischarge upon the front end of the incline, and a blower located underthe shaking-screen and disposed to project a blast of air rearwardlyover the incline.

25. In a threshing-machine of the character described, the combinationwith a foraminous concave, and afixed screen extending rearwardlytherefrom, and upwardly inclined toward its rear end, of threshingmechanism within the concave,a conveyor disposed above the fixed screen,a vibratory grading-shoe downwardly inclined toward its rear end, anincline located under the fixed screen and having its lower front enddisposed to discharge into the upper front end of the grading-shoe, ashaking-screen located under the foraminous concave, and downwardlyinclined toward its rear end, to discharge upon the lower end of theincline, said shakingscreen being rigidly connected with the gradingshoe for movement therewith, and a blower located under theshaking-screen and disposed to project a blast of air rearwardly overthe incline.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto alfixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN MARION BRASINGTON.

Witnesses:

W. 7. BROWN, S. A. BROWN.

